Notes on Trump v Slaughter

Today the Roberts Court handed down a decision in Trump v Slaughter in which the Six Oathbreakers of the Roberts Court decided that regulatory agencies couldn’t possible be independent of the king, er, President unless they were the Federal Reserve and also made a shout-out to the traitors of the Confederacy. Paul Krugman remarked that this decision “makes it extremely difficult for the economy to function.” There’s a lot of legal and economic commentary by experts, and I am here adding a few notes of my own.

Antifa, or Glonzo and the Anarchists

A short piece, intended to clear the air.

If 25% of the population believed that a creature called ‘Glonzo’ caused high power prices by chewing through transmission lines, any competent politician would be negligent in not trying to find a way to exploit this. – William B. Fuckley

Antifa shows up ready to rumble; the fascists show up ready to kill. – Raven Onthill

24 Hours of Epic Snark

The past 24 hours have really been something; I think I’ve posted more snark on Bluesky than I have in any previous day. I’ve collected the posts here, to establish a baseline.

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Why do I even bother doing theory when we’re going to be hip-deep in ICE, and there’s probably going to be a global recession that will make 2008 look like a picnic?

Everyone brace!

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Hantavirus

Unlike SARS-2 before it emerged, hantavirus is known and has been studied; it is nowhere near as contagious as covid. But…

Reflections on the Coup and International Relations

The world knows this is not just Trump’s work. Trump was allowed to become president a second time after inciting a treasonous insurrection. A majority of both houses of Congress and Supreme Court justices have supported him in his depredations. Until these demons are exorcised, the United States is not trustworthy and wise foreign leaders will not see it as so.

The United States is not going to be forgiven the disaster this war with Iran is causing, not for generations. China may rise to their newfound preeminence, as the United States did after World War II, but that is going to take time; they will not change while Xi Jinping is dictator.

The Problems Facing the Next Democratic Administration

Should the Democrats retake power in 2029, they will be in a situation where the best courses of action will be deeply unpopular.

My Country is Melting

Trump's Iran war—our Iran war—, if it drags on, will throw East and South Asia into China's arms, and that's not a place they want to be. Even China may come to regret it, though I think right now they see it as an opportunity. Meantime, we have a recession coming. And this loss means that the jihadis of Iran will probably have a great deal of funding to pursue their madness.

My country is melting.